Troy, no problem. I was not attacking you or anyone with outdoor cats anyway. I was just expressing my opinion, and what I was familiar with growing up. That's all I ever saw with outdoor cats was misery. Missing eye, bitten off ears, ratty coats, pest infestations (Cat Fancy advocates indoor cats because of this) and short lives...and these supposedly being peoples "pets". Maybe I was young and naive not to mention impressionable. You did point out the difference between strictly outdoor cats and I/O cats. These aformentioned (outdoor) were outdoor all the time. Maybe that's the difference, and where my view of suffering comes from...the outdoor all the time "pets". That was before we moved to our new neighborhood when I was a senior in high school and outdoor animals were not allowed without supervision. I didn't encounter these miserable cats like I did before, except for the stray that I adopted.
Like I said, if they are happy being inside, great. If they like I/O (I found that amusing since I'm in the computer biz BTW ), then that's fine too! I think it's great that people take into account what's good for their pets and what makes them happy and keeps them healthy. Sorry for offending you and anybody else.
The "hearding cats" superbowl commercial was a hoot!